Chicken is one of the most widely consumed meats in Nigeria. However, the increased global awareness of eating healthy meat for wellness has lead to rising demand for organic poultry production.

Apart from consumers who are interested in eating chemical-free chickens, people are becoming interested in the relatively low start-up cost as well as the potential good profit margin in organic poultry production based on the premium price on organic chickens in the market.

Before venturing into organic poultry production, a farmer must know the rules of operating a 100% organic poultry farm. Here are some tips to help you with the right things to do ;

Selection Of Poultry Breeds

An organic poultry farmer must select the right species of poultry birds that are well adapted to the farm site geographical zone. The day-old chicks should be purchased from any hatchery that is approved by Nigeria Institute of Animal Science which has certified the farm that the birds are free from certain diseases. All other organic poultry techniques should be carried out from day to of operation.

Nutrition

Organic poultry birds should be fed with rations sufficient to meet their nutritional requirement. Organic poultry farmers must not use antibiotics or hormones to promote growth. Non – Synthetic vitamins are preferred. Grains used for feeding birds must not be genetically modified, feed should not contain animal protein.

Organic birds should be allowed outside in a fenced area to allow birds to go out and scavenge for worms, insects slugs, grains which also helps to reduce the cost of feeding. The best time for scavenging is early in the morning and late afternoon when there are insects and less heat.

Poultry birds don’t sweat and when they feel the heat they open their wings, panting trying to cool off if no access to water, they will die. Constant supply of freshwater should be provided to prevent heat stress.Clean water should be provided in shady areas during the day for the poultry birds to avoid heat stress.

Housing

When it comes to housing, the aim of every organic poultry farmers should be providing a healthy stress-free environment for the birds which is one of the strong pillars to the production of organic poultry birds.

Organic chicken should not be fully confined. They should be allowed to move freely to scavenge for insects, worms, grass, grit, and grain, it also allows the birds to exercise, roosting fresh air, sunlight, scratching bathe with dust to prevent ectoparasite.

However, the shelter must be provided to then whenever they come to sleep after scavenging.

The shelter should be provided to protect poultry birds from extreme weather conditions to prevent heat stress and cold shock. The shelter should be able to maintain a comfortable temperature, provide ventilation, clean beddings accumulation of ammonia can cause respiratory the disease.


One other advantage of letting poultry birds out is their litters also fertilizer the ground which helps in adding nitrogen to the soil for allowing plants to grow.

Feeds should also be protected from moisture which may bring the growth of undesirable micro-organisms and excess heat which can degrade Vitamins content as they both affect the nutritional quality in feeds.

The area where birds are scavenging should be well fenced to prevent attacks from predators like a snake.

Health.

Vaccination against prevalent diseases of poultry is allowed in organic poultry production as long as the vaccines are not genetically modified.

The use of antibiotics in the prevention of diseases is forbidden, the widespread of antibiotics has less to an antibiotic-resistant strain of germs affecting the health of animals and men.

A natural way of preventing all forms of diseases attacking poultry birds is by using Poultry – Zyme. Poultry – Zyme should be added to drinking water to establish beneficial microorganisms in the guts that help to reduce pathogenic organisms. Poultry – Zyme helps to boost the immune system of poultry – birds to fight off bacteria and virus ensuring you have a disease-free bird.

Poultry – Zyme is safe to use, ensure you produce a healthy, organic, bigger, poultry birds free from disease, free from chemical.